PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Lie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Puka Kupa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lie comes to the cage accompanied by we right here. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lie
vs
Kupa

173 cm
34
170 lbs
6 - 48 - 1

178 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 48 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Lie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Puka Kupa!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lie misses with a double jab
and Kupa counters with a series of strikes. Lie will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lie throws a right hand that Kupa ducks under and follows up with a left that Kupa also avoids with ease.
Lie throws a series of punches but Kupa moves out of range.
Kupa looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Lie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Lie misses with a combination
and Kupa counters with a stiff right hand.
Lie is breathing heavily.
Lie swinging wildly here.
Lie looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lie fails to land with a series of punches.
Kupa feints a counter leg kick.

Lie closes the distance and clinches.
Kupa can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lie throws a nice looking combination but Kupa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Lie moves into range and clinches up with Kupa.

Lie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lie throws a left and a right that both miss
and Kupa counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Mike Lie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kupa ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Lie misses with a combination
and Kupa counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kupa. That's going to slow Lie down.
Kupa cracks a nice hook into Lie's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kupa tries to bum rush Lie with a series of wild strikes but Lie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Lie moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lie scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kupa scores with a kick to the midsection.
Lie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lie misses with the combination.
Kupa throws a fast counter high kick but Lie manages to duck under it in time.
Kupa feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Lie's calf.
Kupa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lie throws a head kick but Kupa moves out of range.
Kupa is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Kupa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kupa thinks about the counter body kick.
Some wild striking there from Lie.
Kupa lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kupa avoids the head kick by Lie.
A nice side step and Kupa releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Lie misses with the combination.
Kupa lands with a slapping head kick.
Lie throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kupa's head.

Lie moves into range and clinches up with Kupa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kupa on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lie wants to clinch.
Lie misses with a head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kupa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kupa circles away quickly and effectively.
Kupa scores with a spinning back kick!
Lie takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Lie dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A combination from Lie does no damage.
Kupa appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Lie lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Lie tries to bum rush Kupa with a series of wild strikes but Kupa uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Despite the aggression on Kupa's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
We've been informed that Kupa has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Lie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kupa counters with a body kick.
Kupa lands with a nice combination. Lie backs away looking to recover.
Lie tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It seemed like Kupa was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kupa lands a leg kick that knocks Lie off balance momentarily.
Mike Lie is winning the standup battle so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lie throws a head kick but Kupa moves out of range.
Kupa appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Kupa connects with a looping right hand.

Lie closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kupa is trying to drag Lie to the mat but Lie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick by Lie misses
and Kupa counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Lie throws a sloppy head kick and Kupa moves out of range easily.
Lie has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Lie darts in and clinches Kupa up against the cage.
Lie wants to get back to striking at distance but Kupa won't allow it.
Kupa tries to pull guard but Lie won't allow it.
Kupa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mike Lie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Puka Kupa.

Lie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lie scores with a one two! Kupa had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Lie throws the kick towards the body but Kupa avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kupa counters with a two punch combo.
Kupa dodges the punch combination from Lie.
Lie throws a body kick that misses.
Lie misses with a double jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kupa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lie tries to score with a low kick but Kupa moves his leg out of the way.
Kupa throws a counter combo.

Lie moves into the clinch.

Lie manages to break the clinch.

Lie has Kupa up against the cage in a clinch.
Kupa is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lie forces Kupa back against the cage and clinches.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kupa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kupa swats away the attempt to clinch by Lie.
And Kupa responds with a good body kick, but Lie manages to step out the way in time.
Lie misses with a series of wild punches.
Kupa throws a counter combo.
Kupa is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Lie rather than just go for the knockout.
Lie throws a sloppy head kick
and Kupa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lie wants to clinch.
Kupa throws a counter combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kupa tries to keep at a distance but Lie has taken the fight into the clinch.

Lie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lie clinches.
Kupa has a couple of punches blocked by Lie.

Lie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lie swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kupa misses the shot to the body.

Lie forces Kupa back against the cage and clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Lie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kupa dodges the punch combination from Lie.
As Lie backs off Kupa throws a huge counter combo but Lie manages to avoid it all.
Lie lands a head kick. Kupa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Kupa moves out of range of the body kick from Lie.
Lie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kupa can do to turn this around?
Lie throws a right and a left that Kupa avoids nicely.
Kupa lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kupa lands a jab-cross combination.

Lie clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lie managing to block the knees to the body from Kupa.

Lie manages to break the clinch.
Mike Lie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lie looks to land a body kick but Kupa moved away.

Kupa tries to keep at a distance but Lie has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lie throws a right and a left that Kupa avoids nicely.
Kupa steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Lie throws a head kick that misses
and Kupa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kupa scores with a jab.
Lie throws a sloppy head kick and Kupa moves out of range easily.
Kupa throws a counter combo.
Lie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kupa circles away quickly and effectively.
Kupa let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Lie moves into the clinch successfully.

Lie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice body kick from Kupa.
Lie tries a head kick but it misses.
Kupa is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Lie with a body shot.

Lie has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lie closes the distance and clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
As Lie backs off Kupa throws a huge counter combo but Lie manages to avoid it all.
Kupa throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Lie.
Lie misses with a head kick.
Kupa connects with a high kick.
Lie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kupa counters with a stiff right hand.
Kupa misses with a few strikes there.
Lie misses with a series of wild punches.
Kupa throws a counter combo.
Lie tries a head kick but it misses.
As Lie backs off Kupa throws a huge counter combo but Lie manages to avoid it all.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kupa throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Lie tries a head kick but it misses.
Lie tried to score with a low kick but Kupa checks it.
Mike Lie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kupa circles away quickly and effectively.

Lie forces Kupa back against the cage and clinches.

Lie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A head punch on the inside from Kupa fails to land.
Lie prevents Kupa from breaking the clinch.

Lie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lie misses with a head kick.
Kupa feints a counter leg kick.

Lie drives through and clinches with Kupa against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lie breaks the clinch.
Lie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kupa raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

Lie gets a clinch.
Kupa is trying to break the clinch but Lie has him pressed against the cage.

Lie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lie finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lie pushes Kupa up against the cage in a clinch.

Lie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kupa sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Lie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
As Lie backs off Kupa throws a huge counter combo but Lie manages to avoid it all.

Lie clinches.
Puka Kupa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Lie breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Lie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Lie!
A very excited looking Mike Lie made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.